Mapping of Fab-1:VEGF Interface Using Carboxyl Group Footprinting Mass Spectrometry

A proof-of-concept study was performed to demonstrate that carboxyl group footprinting, a relatively simple, bench-top method, has utility for first-pass analysis to determine epitope regions of therapeutic mAb:antigen complexes. The binding interface of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the Fab portion of a neutralizing antibody (Fab-1) was analyzed using carboxyl group footprinting with glycine ethyl ester (GEE) labeling. Tryptic peptides involved in the binding interface between VEGF and Fab-1 were identified by determining the specific GEE-labeled residues that exhibited a reduction in the rate of labeling after complex formation. A significant reduction in the rate of GEE labeling was observed for E93 in the VEGF tryptic peptide V5, and D28 and E57 in the Fab-1 tryptic peptides HC2 and HC4, respectively. Results from the carboxyl group footprinting were compared with the binding interface identified from a previously characterized crystal structure (PDB: 1BJ1). All of these residues are located at the Fab-1:VEGF interface according to the crystal structure, demonstrating the potential utility of carboxyl group footprinting with GEE labeling for mapping epitopes. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.